Whether you’re a last-minute scrambler or you’ve been shopping for gifts since July, December is holiday crunch time.  As deadlines are looming, here are some tips to keep calm and carry on throughout the holiday season:

Make a list… or six

They’re not just for Santa anymore.  Write down presents as you buy them, make ingredient lists for everything you plan to serve, or keep track of everybody’s arrival and departure times.  With a million things on your mind, it’s natural to get to the grocery store and forget if you needed cumin or coriander, but you’ll save yourself a trip if you can whip out your list and “check it twice.”

Make the world your workshop

In addition to lists, Santa has his elves, and you should, too. Don’t feel guilty for not doing everything yourself.  Ask a friend to bring a main dish (not just the cookies) or designate a meal item to each of your family members.  And if the thought of preparing 15 dishes from scratch—or even five!—is giving you an ulcer, look for places to cut corners.  It’s great to cook at home and control the ingredients you use; however, it’s also okay to purchase some healthy and convenient items now and again to make your life easier. Besides, ten years from now are you really going to remember where you got the gravy?

Make nice with yourself

Give yourself the gift of peace.  You might feel that you have 48 hours of work to fit into a 24-hour day, but the one place you shouldn’t make short cuts is your health.  It’s more important now than ever, during this hectic time of year to get enough sleep, keep up with your workouts to reduce stress and burn extra calories. Don’t skip meals to save time—banking calories for later will generally land you in the cookie bowl.  While everybody is busy and tempers are short, the last thing you need to worry about is being cranky from low blood sugar!  Stock up on high protein snacks like Mini Babybels or almonds to keep your energy and spirits high.

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